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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · kick · ground · stand · board · bowl

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. kick — in football
  4. ground — crushed
  5. stand — to bear
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. board — to get on
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — a position
  17. board — a committee
  18. stand — on your feet

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com